The Idea

About Me

My name is Dizzy, I am one of the original founders of The Hemp Knightz™. I am a 35-year-old male of Indigenous American and Irish descent, hailing from Kansas City, Missouri. My early life was marked by adversity, having spent my childhood as a ward of the state until I reached emancipation at 17 in 2005. During my ward I became an advocate for displaced children, fighting to earn several rights and privileges for children without families. As an adult, I've continued advocating for children's rights and giving back to my community however I can, including fostering and adopting.

These experiences have instilled in me a resilience and determination that have been instrumental in my entrepreneurial journey with my small business, Hemp Knightz LLC. I have several years of development experience, currently building out the flagship websites, The Puzzle Society and GoComics, architecting and developing the systems and services that power the sites. This experience, along with my personal projects and hunger for knowledge, has equipped me with significant edge to run and operate a platform with subscription-based services, a skill set that is directly applicable to the development and operation of the Hemp Knightz platform.

In addition to my technical expertise, my deep connections within the cannabis community in Missouri position me uniquely to lead Hemp Knightz. I have begun to make additional connections and relationships within the Missouri cannabis industry to gain interest and gather requirements for platform features. This network will be invaluable as we launch and grow our platform.

Moreover, I have a personal connection to the mission of Hemp Knightz. I helped found and led the Hemp Knightz group from 2002 to 2012 and have recently stepped back into a leadership position. This group, which has been operating fundraisers, charity events, drives, and other community-driven events since its inception, forms the backbone of our brand and our commitment to the cannabis community.

In conclusion, the combination of my personal experiences, professional skills, and established relationships within the cannabis community uniquely position me to spearhead Hemp Knightz. I am dedicated to harnessing these assets to create a platform that addresses a critical need in the cannabis industry, providing a valuable service to our users and enriching our community as a whole.

About Hemp Knightz Events

Hemp Knightz Events™ aims to establish a subscription based online platform dedicated to the cannabis community. Our platform will serve as a hub for promoting cannabis events, user and business profiles, and will feature social platform functionality. We plan to expand our services to include ticket sales, product listings and deals, and a storefront for branded merchandise.

The Need

There is a growing need for a platform that is cannabis friendly, built on the latest technologies and that uses AI to drive innovation, and operates in the manner that aligns with its values. Facebook and other social and event platforms are not cannabis friendly, even with more than half of the country pushing for legalization. This has created a vacuum in which event planners and businesses find it hard to promote, organize, or even profit from events. This is the gap in the Canna Community™ we are going to fill, beginning with Hemp Knightz Events.

Our target market is the growing cannabis community in Missouri, where recreational use of cannabis is constitutionally guaranteed at the state level. The Missouri cannabis market has experienced explosive growth since the legalization of adult-use cannabis in 2022, with sales reaching a record-breaking $126 million in March 2023 alone. This burgeoning industry, bolstered by a robust workforce of nearly 13,000 licensed professionals, is poised for continued expansion. With the potential for accelerated growth on the horizon as more states move towards legalization, the cannabis sector presents a lucrative investment opportunity. The market's dynamism, driven by advancements in cannabis research and development, and an increasing societal acceptance of cannabis products, underscores its promising potential for profitability in the coming years. We plan to expand our services to other states as legalization progresses, ultimately aiming for a national and then global reach. 

The Model

Hemp Knightz LLC is poised to generate revenue through a multi-faceted business model. Our platform will offer a free tier with ad-supported access to basic features. For a more enhanced experience, users can opt for a subscription that removes ads and unlocks additional social platform features.

We will also offer subscription add-ons tailored to specific needs. These include the ability to create business profiles, plan events, list products and services, and promote deals. We also plan to offer prime advertising opportunities on our main page carousel and other high-visibility areas on the site.

In addition to our digital offerings, we will launch a physical store selling branded merchandise and accessories. We're also exploring partnerships with businesses on our platform to expand our product range. We've secured booths at upcoming events to sell merchandise and promote our brand, providing another revenue stream.

To further enhance the value of a subscription, we will provide exclusive access to resources and news related to the cannabis industry. We're committed to continuous innovation, with plans to introduce business tools, social media integrations, and AI-driven chatbots to provide information and answer user queries. This comprehensive approach positions us to capitalize on the growing cannabis market while delivering a valuable service to our community.

Marketing Strategy

Our marketing strategy leverages strong partnerships and community engagement to drive traffic to our platform. We've already secured commitments from Missouri-based event planners and businesses to use our platform upon launch. These early adopters will serve as brand ambassadors (a.k.a. The Green Table™), encouraging other vendors and businesses to join our platform.

We will also harness the power of social media to reach a broader audience. Our existing social media accounts have a substantial following, providing a ready-made audience for our platform. 

Beyond these strategies, we're committed to making a positive impact in our community. Our charity work with veterans and displaced children not only aligns with our company values but also helps to build our brand and attract users who share these values. This community-focused approach sets us apart in the cannabis industry and positions us for sustained growth.

Technologies

Microsoft and Azure are our preferred partners due to their cutting-edge technology and robust resources. Microsoft is at the forefront of AI and development innovation, offering tools and services that can significantly enhance our platform. Their AI capabilities, in particular, can help us deliver personalized experiences to our users, improve our services, and drive user engagement.

As a developer with extensive training and expertise in Microsoft technologies, I am well-positioned to leverage these tools to build and optimize our platform. This not only ensures that we can make the most of what Microsoft and Azure have to offer, but also reduces the learning curve and development time.

Furthermore, Microsoft's startup program provides valuable resources for emerging businesses like ours. We hope to secure Azure credits through this program, which would significantly offset our hosting and operational costs. This financial support, combined with the technical advantages of Azure, can accelerate our growth and help us reach profitability sooner.

In short, partnering with Microsoft and Azure aligns with our technical needs, financial goals, and long-term vision. We believe that with their support, we can build a successful platform that serves the cannabis community and delivers returns to our investors.

Investment Opportunities

Hemp Knightz LLC is poised to launch a unique platform dedicated to the cannabis community, offering a suite of services that include event promotion, business profiles, product listings, and more. While we have the technical expertise and industry connections to build and promote our platform, we require additional capital to scale our operations and reach profitability.

Our initial setup costs are relatively low, thanks to in-house development and a lean approach to business operations. We estimate that we need between $3,000 to $8,000 to cover the costs of design work, initial marketing efforts, and legal advice. 

To bridge this gap and accelerate our growth, we are seeking external funding. With additional capital, we can invest in marketing to attract more users, enhance our platform to increase our conversion rate, and explore additional revenue streams such as branded merchandise and partnerships. 

To provide a more detailed breakdown, here's how we plan to allocate the investment:

1. Marketing and User Acquisition: A significant portion of the funds will be invested in marketing to attract more users to our platform. This includes online advertising, content marketing, event sponsorship, and other promotional activities.

2. Product Development: We will invest in enhancing our platform to increase our conversion rate. This includes improving the user experience, adding new features, and ensuring our platform remains secure and reliable.

3. Additional Revenue Streams: We will explore additional revenue streams such as branded merchandise and partnerships. This could involve setting up a physical store, developing new products, or forming partnerships with other businesses.

4. Operational Costs: The funds will also be used to cover our ongoing operational costs, including hosting, maintenance, and legal fees. This will ensure our platform remains operational and compliant with all relevant regulations.

5. Team Expansion: As our platform grows, we may need to hire additional team members to support our operations. This could include developers, marketers, customer support staff, and others.

Our goal is to use these funds to accelerate our growth and reach profitability as quickly as possible. We believe that with the right support, Hemp Knightz LLC can become a leading platform in the burgeoning cannabis market, delivering value to our users and returns to our investors.

Our long-term vision for Hemp Knightz LLC is to become the premier platform for the cannabis community, expanding from local to national and eventually international markets. As we work towards this goal, we are mindful of the need to provide a return on investment for our backers.

We are considering several exit strategies that could offer significant returns. One possibility is a sale to a larger company in the cannabis industry or a related field. This could provide a substantial return for investors while ensuring that our platform continues to serve the cannabis community.

Alternatively, if our platform achieves significant success and growth, we could pursue an Initial Public Offering (IPO). This would allow investors to sell their shares on the open market, potentially providing a substantial return.

A Management Buyout (MBO) is another option. In this scenario, the company's management team would buy the investors' shares, effectively taking over the company. This could be a viable option if the management team has the necessary funds and wants to retain control of the company.

Finally, a merger with another company could create a larger, more competitive entity. The investors would receive shares in the new company, which they could then sell.

Each of these strategies offers potential advantages, and we will continue to evaluate them as our company grows and the market evolves. Our primary goal is to build a successful platform that delivers value to our users and returns to our investors.